Many electronic components require the use of devices to disperse heat. LED lighting is one such example. LED lighting is being used increasingly as a replacement to incandescent or fluorescent lights. While these lights have an improved efficiency, they still emit significant amounts of heat during operation. If this heat is not effectively moved away from the device, the efficiency and the lifespan of the LED lighting units are adversely affected.
While LEDs have in the past more commonly been used in small scale applications, advances have meant they are now finding application in larger scale lighting devices such as outdoor lighting, street lighting and flood lights. In such applications, management of the produced heat is particularly important.
Traditionally, heat sinks have been produced by a material such as aluminium cast or cut to form a body in contact with the lighting and a large number of fins. Heat is transferred to the body by physical contact with the device and the fins provide a large surface area to dissipate the heat transferred to the heat sink.
Current heat sinks are generally produced through either an extrusion or casting. In the case of extrusions, as the required size of the heat sink increases, a larger length section of extrusion may be employed, with limitations. With cast heat sinks, a new design and mould would generally be required.
As a further issue, when the heat transfer requirements go beyond a certain point, the size and weight of this type of aluminium cast or extruded heat sink design becomes an issue. In these circumstances, it is necessary to consider using materials with higher coefficients of thermal conductivity, such as copper, silver and gold. Use of such materials within the heat sink can produce increased efficiency but also results in difficulties in manufacture, particular as the required size of the heat sink increases.
The present invention relates to a construction of a heat sink aimed at providing both efficiency in heat transfer and scalability.